A THEORETICAL APPROACH ON SOLAR BASED UPS MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract

In telecommunications establishments or
AC DC AC AC
computer centers, a power failure could be
Batter
disastrous. The necessity of providing an un- Utilit y Inverte Transfer
Load
y charge r switch
r
interruptible power supply is increasingly
seen as essential. UPS provides Batter
y
uninterrupted power and can offer protection
from power corruption problems. In
System
specifying an UPS, several features have to logic &
control
be considered. The quality of the incoming
power supply, the ambient conditions in
which the UPS will have to operate and the
The function of the battery/charger is to
load and power backup duration all present
convert the input A.C. power, usually utility
problems which must be solved before
power, to regulated and filtered DC power
installing an UPS. In our work we are trying
that charges the battery and provides input
to increase the UPS battery backup and
power to the inverter section. The battery’s
lifetime by incorporating few of the features
function is to provide DC input power to the
to the existing UPS system. Features
inverter section when the AC input is not
considered for the implementation includes
available to the battery/charger section. The
over voltage protection, short circuit
inverter section will receive the DC input
protection, overload protection, deep
from either the battery/charger or battery
discharge protection and trickle charging.
section and convert to a regulated AC output
Along with these features, in order to use the
that is transmitted to the load or to a static
vastly available solar energy, we are using
switch. The function of the static switch,
this energy to charge the battery.
when incorporated into the configuration, is
UPS SYSTEM to transfer the load without interruption from

An UPS is composed of four basic sections, the inverter output to an alternate A.C.

battery/charger, battery, inverter, and static power in case the inverter section fails or

switch. overloads.

OPERATION OF UPS
There are basically two configuration
through which UPS operates.
1. Forward Transfer Configuration: In
this configuration, the UPS is basically used
as a hot standby. In normal mode of
operation, the transfer switch connects the
load to the commercial AC line. The
rectifier has to supply only the no load
current to the inverter and it should maintain
the battery bank in a floating condition.
When the commercial AC line develops a
problem, then the transfer
immediately switches the load to the
inverter. The inverter gets its input drive
from the battery bank. When
commercial line is resumed, the transfer
switch transfers the load back to it. Now the
battery charger / rectifier get the power from
the mains and supply the no load current to
the inverter, charging the battery bank. This
is called recovery mode of operation. The
main disadvantage of this forward transfer
configuration is that the load continues to
get the power directly from the commercial
AC line most of the time. Hence all the
problems of AC commercial line will be
passed on to the load. Therefore only those
loads which can tolerate power
2. Reverse Transfer Configuration: Here
the commercial line feeds the battery
charger / rectifier which in turn feed the
load. When the mains AC fail, the battery
bank supplies the current to the inverter and
hence the inverter continues to feed the load.
The main advantage of this configuration is
that the load always receives the power from
the inverter. This is capable of delivering
clean power with minimum harmonic
distortion. Therefore, critical loads can be
used in this configuration. This feature
makes it the most widely used configuration.
PROTECTION to UPS
switch
1. Battery/Charger
The battery/charger section is a full-wave
the type rectifier and usually a phase-controlled
SCR circuit combined with a regulator to
provide voltage and current control of its
DC output. Over-current protection for the
battery/charger should include both overload
and short circuit considerations. This starts
with the protective device on the AC input.
Battery/Charger Diagram
Circuit Input Bridge
Filter
Breaker Xfmr rectifier
Voltage
and
Battery
charging
current
Adt.
line control

problems can be used under this

configuration.
If over-current protection is not included Batteries for UPS require high current
with the UPS system, the manufacturer values for short time periods. Protection for
should provide rating to allow conduit and batteries begins with over current devices
wire sizing. This protective device, usually a such as fuses or breakers to protect a battery
circuit breaker, will provide protection from system from short circuit currents. Without
internal phase to phase, and phase to ground over current protection a battery can be
faults that can cause extensive damage. severely damaged and the only fuse
Consideration for installation of a fusible protection may be the battery cable.
disconnect switch ahead of AC input breaker Overcharging of battery must be protected
for backup protection is advisable, but care against because it causes 1) loss of water
must be taken to insure proper coordination from the electrolyte, 2) gassing and 3)
with battery/charger input breaker. An pressure build up and temperature rise in
important point that often is over looked in sealed cells. The detrimental effects of
selecting an AC input device, whether a overcharging batteries can be compounded
circuit breaker or fuses, is interrupting with high ambient temperature that adds to
rating. The UPS system will be tied into the the increased temperature resulting from
user’s power distribution and it is important charging. High temperature increases water
that the maximum short circuit current at the consumption by evaporation and the
input AC protective device terminals is resulting increased charging current from
known. This SCC value easily should be high temperature causes more water
detailed in the specification as it can consumption through oxygen and hydrogen
encompass a range from 10000A to 60000A evolution. Acid fumes from lead-acid
depending on input voltage level and power batteries corrode terminals and other
system characteristics. Most of the other equipment in close proximity. Hydrogen
protection required is designed by the evolution can create an explosive
manufacturer and it is incorporated into the atmosphere if the area is not adequately
battery/charger unit. ventilated. Sealed cells can build up
dangerous internal pressure if temperature is
2. Battery
too high. Controlling ambient temperature
Batteries provide the source of DC input to
may be the single best protection for
the inverter section when the DC output
preserving battery integrity and maximizing
from the battery/charger section is lost. The
life.
reliability of the UPS system will heavily
3. Inverter
depend on the battery protection scheme.
The inverter unit is used to convert the
regulated DC input from the battery/charger
section or batteries to an AC output that
supplies the load requirements. The output
will be fed either to the load terminals or the
input of the static transfer switch. Protection
for the inverter unit requires an over current
or control device that senses both overload
and short circuit conditions. Sensing of the
input DC current is the most common
method of monitoring for inverter
protection. The UPS manufacturer’s
protection scheme for the inverter unit is
generally to protect the bridge SCR’s or
transistors as they represent the component
most sensitive to high current. The most
generally used protection schemes are to
feedback the DC current input monitor
signal to trip the DC input or AC output
breaker or to have fast acting semiconductor
fuses in the cathode lead of the SCR’s.
In our work we are intended to
implement protections like over voltage
protection, short circuit protection, over
voltage protection, deep discharge
protection. Along with these protection
schemes we are using the trickle charge
technique to charge the battery.
Trickle charging:
Trickle charging, or float charging,
means charging a battery at a similar rate as
it is self-discharging, thus maintaining a full
capacity battery. Most rechargeable
batteries, particularly nickel-cadmium
batteries or nickel metal hydride batteries,
have a moderate rate of self-discharge,
meaning they gradually lose their charge
even if they are not used in a device. One
must be careful, however, that if a battery
regulator is not employed, the charge rate
isn't greater than the level of self-discharge,
or overcharging and possible damage or
leakage may occur.
The difference between a float
charger and a trickle charger is that the float
has circuitry to prevent overcharging. It
senses when the battery voltage is at the
maximum level and temporarily shuts off
the charge (floats voltage at zero or a very
minimal charge until it senses that the
battery output voltage has fallen, and then
resumes charging). You can keep it
connected indefinitely.
A trickle charger, on the other hand,
will charge no matter whether the battery is
fully charged or not. So it needs to be
connected and disconnected periodically. If
left in place too long it'll eventually boil the
electrolyte out of the cells or damage the
plates. Trickle chargers will work to keep
the battery charged if used once a month or
so for a day or 2, but the float chargers can
be left connected indefinitely without
potential harm to the battery.
For example, a 24 volt battery pack,
comprising 12 2-volt flooded lead-acid cells,
which has been deeply discharged, would
normally be restored by a boost charge of
approximately 2.4 volts per cell for a short
time (perhaps around 72 hours). Once the
collective cell voltage reaches a surface
charge of 28.8 volts (2.4 volts x 12 cells),
the charge rate would be switched to the
sustained lower float-charging rate of
typically 2.23 volts. Eventually, with the
Boost charge removed, the surface charge
will diminish slightly and the battery-bank
voltage will stabilize at a preset float
voltage, in the case of the example above to
approximately 27 volts (2.23 volts x 12).
In low duty-cycle applications,
where a relatively high current or power is
required infrequently, charger costs can be
minimized by applying trickle-charging
principles. This can be an economy measure
in cases where the charging method could be
quite expensive if the full charging rate were
employed, such as solar-cell installations.
Full battery capacity can be achieved at a
low charging current over a long period of
time to provide a high-power load for a short
period.
Over load Protection:
Overload protection is an important
issue for UPS systems. A dual loop control
structure is proposed for a three phase UPS
systems to achieve overload protection as
well as output voltage tracking under load
disturbance, unbalanced load, and nonlinear
load conditions. A discrete-time sliding
mode controller is used to control the
current loop, while the voltage loop is
controlled by a robust servomechanism
controller for the elimination of total
harmonic distortion in the output voltage.
Surge Protection
Any UPS will normally employ a
rectifier in its first operational stage to
convert the incoming AC to DC. Batteries
are usually found in the second stage. The
DC output from the rectifier charges the
batteries as it supplies power to the inverter,
the third basic UPS stage. The inverter
changes the DC power at its input back into
AC at its output. That output, of course,
dispenses power to its loads. Most UPS
devices employ bypass circuits that allow
their equipment loads to circumvent the UPS
and draw AC power directly from the utility.
Higher end products only make use of their
bypass lines during maintenance procedures
or when the UPS is inoperative. However,
low end and midrange products exploit them
during their normal operating parameters as
their inverter stages are only intended to
power their equipment loads during an
actual utility power outage. While these
UPS products will often utilize small metal
oxide varistors (MOV) on their utility power
inputs to support their surge suppression
claims, the realized levels of real-world
surge protection are minimal.
Application [6] TYCO Electronics at
www.corcom.com/catalog/filters/S/schemati
1) Solid state Inverters used for PCs at
c.htm
home. [7] Muhammand Rashid, Power Electronics
2) It is used to power appliances where no Circuits Devices and Applications Third
Edition, 2004
break in power supply is acceptable
viz., Lamps, Water Pumping system,
Tele-communication systems- Radio &
T.V. Sets etc.
Conclusion:

Nowadays UPS systems available in the

market are not guaranteed to be protective.
Along with the UPS systems won’t provide
protection to all the electronic equipments at
the load which can be a computer, lighting
system, telecommunication equipment. Here
we are proposing to implement over voltage
and short circuit protection at the load, over
voltage and deep discharge protection to the
battery and trickle charging of battery,
thereby increases the battery backup time
and increases the battery lifetime.

References:

[1] ANSI/IEEE std. 466 – 1986

Emergency and standby power systems
[2] N. Christenson, UPS FAQ version 2.3.
www.jetcafe.org/~npc/doc/ups-faq.html#06
[3]UPS, the stand by power supply, The PC
Guide
www.pcguide.com/ref/power/ext/ups/typesS
tandbyc.html
[4] Falcon Electronics, Industry Leader in
UPS Design
www.falconups.com/press02.26.03.htm
[5] The battery station LLC at
www.batterystation.com/ups.htm